The Church of England's Church Heritage Forum has told the Culture, Media and Sport Committee of Parliament that church and cathedral tourism could be used to spread the expected benefits of Olympics tourism across the country in 2012.

Church and cathedral tourism already generates some £300 million a year for the economy but the Church Heritage Forum believes it could generate even more throughout 2012 when Britain hosts the Olympics.

The forum, established in 1997, brings together representatives of national and local church interests in matters relating to the church's built heritage. It said in its submission to the CMS Committee's inquiry into tourism: "Cathedrals and historic churches are a quintessential feature of our landscape and they are part of the historic narrative of our national identity which has a strong appeal for domestic and foreign visitors alike."